Bubble Gum Wrappers
by ObsessedHPFanatic
Summary: For the Confession Challenge. Hermione confesses to Neville that she visited his parents.


**Author's Note: This is for the Confession Challenge! :) It's supposed to be serious, so I hope you all take it that way!**** The prompt was "Hermione confesses to Neville that she went to visit his parents." I considered ending it differently, but I like this! I like Hermione x Neville, so I'm okay with this ending! I own nothing because I am young and poor. Please review! :)**

* * *

"Hello," I said nervously. "I'm Hermione Granger. I know your son."

The woman sitting across from me said nothing. She gazed up at the ceiling, a dreamy smile plastered on her face.

I tried again. "Your son. Neville."

Mrs. Longbottom looked at me at the sound of his name.

"I'm Hermione Granger," I repeated.

She blinked slowly and her eyes drifted back up to the ceiling. She began humming something tuneless.

I bit my lip. This was going to be difficult. "I'm a friend of Neville's," I told her.

Mrs. Longbottom inclined her head. and blinked again. She reached over to the table beside her bed. Carefully, she grasped a small piece of paper between her fingers. Her hand was shaking badly.

"Mrs. Longbottom?"

She mumbled something incomprehensible.

"What was that?" I asked hopefully.

She grabbed the hand holding the paper with her other hand, as if to steady it. She slowly, carefully handed me the paper. She grasped my hand and dropped the slip into it. Mrs. Longbottom closed her eyes. She began humming again.

I closed my fist around the scrap of paper. "Mrs. Longbottom, I-"

"Dearie, I think much more will tire her out," the nurse said kindly, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I sighed, but decided to heed her advice. "Thank you for letting me see her."

"They don't get many visitors, dearie. I thought some company might do her some good," the nurse smiled. "Have you visited them before?"

I bit my lip, recalling the incident. "Sort of."

"I think you should come more often. Their son doesn't visit often enough," the nurse said kindly.

"I... I'll try to."

The nurse smiled pleasantly and patted my shoulder. "Thank you, dear. Do you know any of the other patients?"

I blushed. "Is... Is Professor Lockhart still here?"

"Professor Lockhart? Oh, do you mean Gilderoy? I'm not sure if he'll ever be able to leave. I'm afraid his memory hasn't improved much in all the time he has been here, dear. Would you like to see him?" she asked hopefully.

I didn't see how I could refuse, so I nodded. "Thank you."

"You're ever so welcome, dearie. I should be thanking you!"

I smiled slightly as she led me over to Lockhart's bed. I slipped the small piece of paper Mrs. Longbottom had given me into my jeans pocket.

"Gilderoy? You have a visitor," the nurse said, putting a hand on his back.

"A visitor?"

"She says she has visited you before."

"Really?" Lockhart asked with interest, finally turning around and facing us. He regarded me quizzically and bit his lip. "I'm terribly sorry, I don't recognize you."

"That's all right," I blushed.

"I'm Gilderoy. Gilderoy Lockhart," he informed me, offering his hand.

I took it and shook it gently. "Hermione Granger."

"Hermione Granger? Why does that name ring a bell?"

"You've read about her in the Prophet, Gilderoy," the nurse told him. "She's great friends with Harry Potter."

"Oh!" Lockhart exclaimed. "I do remember that name! He seems to have been quite busy recently."

I nodded. "He has been."

"I'll just leave you two to it then," the nurse said, squeezing Lockhart's shoulder. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

I smiled politely and thanked her before turning my attention back to Lockhart. "Professor Lockhart-"

"Please, call me Gilderoy," he interrupted.

"Gilderoy, then. You don't remember me at all?" I asked, almost hopefully.

"I'm afraid not, Hermione. Where do we know each other from?"

"You were my teacher at Hogwarts. Defense Against the Dark Arts," I replied, watching him carefully.

Gilderoy put a finger to his lip, appearing to be deep in thought. "I've been told I was a teacher. I suppose this proves it. Was I any good?"

I hesitated. What could I say to that? "I enjoyed your class very much," I answered truthfully.

Gilderoy smiled brightly. "Thank you, Hermione."

"You're welcome."

"If you don't mind my asking, why are you visiting me today?" he asked.

"I was visiting Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom and the nurse asked if I knew any other patients," I said sheepishly.

Gilderoy flashed another bright smile. "And you thought you might pop in on your old teacher?"

I nodded, glad he thought this was humorous. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"Not at all," Gilderoy said cheerfully. "I was just reading one of my old books. Did I really do all these things?" He showed me the cover of _Wanderings with Werewolves_.

I blushed. "Ah... No, not really."

"Really?" he asked, sounding sincerely interested. "I apparently thought I had! What did I do if I didn't actually have all these adventures?"

"You... Well-"

"I only ask because it doesn't look like I will be able to remember on my own. It's odd to not know your own past."

I hesitated. "Truthfully?"

"I would rather that, yes," he grinned.

"Other people had those adventures," I said after a pause.

Gilderoy inclined his head. "So I wrote down their stories? Did I write biographies? This book doesn't sound like a biography. "

I bit my lip. I didn't really want to tell him he had been a fraud before he lost his memories.

"Is there something you aren't telling me, Hermione? The nurses never answer my questions about my past. I think they want me to remember it on my own."

"You... You claimed other people's adventures were your own and performed memory charms on them so they wouldn't oppose you," I said quickly.

Gilderoy's jaw dropped. "I did?" he asked, shocked.

I nodded slowly. "I... I'm really sorry, Gilderoy. I know it's not an easy thing to hear."  
Gilderoy chuckled. He patted my hand, kindly. "I'm sure it wasn't easy for you to say, Hermione. It's all right. I did ask you to tell me."

The nurse came over then. "All right, Gilderoy. It's time for supper."

Gilderoy nodded. "Thank you for visiting me, Hermione. Do come again," he smiled.

"Of course," I said, standing.

"Hermione, dear? You dropped something," the nurse told me, pointing at a small piece of paper on the floor.

"Thank you," I replied, bending down to pick it up. It was a Drooble's Best Blowing Bubble Gum wrapper. All the blood rushed from my face as I recalled the last time I was in this room. Mrs. Longbottom had given me this wrapper. Mrs. Longbottom had given Neville a wrapper just like this last time. In fact, hadn't Neville's grandmother said she gave Neville those wrappers every time he visited? Tears pricked at my eyes.

"Hermione? Are you all right? " the nurse asked, concerned.

I shook my head slightly to clear it. "Hm? Oh, yes, of course."

The nurse looked like she didn't believe me, but said nothing else.

I smiled half heartedly and waved at Gilderoy as I walked toward the door. It was all I could do to keep myself from bursting into tears before I left the room. As soon as the door had shut behind me, I collapsed against the wall. I felt as if I had broken into some intimate private joke. I buried my face in my hands and squeezed my eyes shut. A few tears trickled down my cheeks, but mainly I shook with silent sobs. I was upset, but mostly angry at Bellatrix. How could she do something so horrible to those lovely people? How could she-

"Hermione?"

* * *

I was just on my way up that familiar staircase when I saw a very unfamiliar figure at the top of it. Why was Hermione here? She didn't have any relatives here, as far as I knew. She appeared to be shaking. Was she crying? I decided to find out. "Hermione?"

She sat up straight as a board when she heard my voice. "Neville! What are you doing here?" she asked, sounding panicked. She wiped her eyes quickly.

I chuckled. "My parents live here, in case you forgot."

More tears spilled out of her eyes.

I offered my handkerchief and knelt beside her. "What's wrong, Hermione?"

She didn't answer at once. She clenched her fist around some small object. "I... It's nothing."

I patted her clenched fist. I knew something was wrong. It took a lot of effort, but finally I asked her: "Would you like to come with me while I visit my parents?"

Hermione's eyes widened and all of the blood rushed from her face. She shook her head violently. "No! That should be private. I don't want to intrude, Neville," she said, looking at her feet.

There was something she was hiding from me. "All right... Are you sure?"

Hermione bit her lip as more tears fell.

"If you don't mind my asking, why are you here?" I inquired.

Hermione turned to face me and took my hands in her. I felt a small piece of paper in one of them. It was slightly crumpled.

"I'm really sorry, Neville," she said quietly. She opened her hands and let the small piece of paper flutter to the ground.

I recognized it immediately. My eyes widened with shock. "You... You visited my parents."

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

"Why?"

"I don't know," she whispered, wringing her hands. "Now I feel truly awful for going behind your back!"

"Hermione."

"I should have told you I was going," she exclaimed tearfully.

"Hermione."

"I just wanted to understand, Neville! I didn't think about the consequences," she cried, truly upset.

"Hermione!"

"You must hate me now. I would hate me."

I rolled my eyes. I grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and pulled her into my arms. "Shut up, Hermione." I buried my face in her neck. I heard her draw a quick breath.

Hesitantly, she laid her head on my shoulder. "Neville, I-"

I pressed a kiss on the junction of her shoulder and neck. "Shh," I hushed. "It's all right, Hermione. Really."

Hermione froze at the touch of my lips.

"You were curious. I understand," I said as I kissed her again. "Now, are you sure you don't want to come with me?"

Hermione sighed into my shoulder. "I don't know if I'm ready."

"You don't have to."

"Thank you for understanding, Neville," she whispered.

I took the opportunity and pulled away slightly. "I'm going to kiss you, Hermione."

Hermione's eyes widened. She nodded. "Yes," she said simply and leaned in to meet my lips.

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**Author's Note: I hope you all like it! I think I've written better, but I do enjoy Neville, so I like it! Please review! :) Much love, Gency.  
**


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